Sunshine Coast Engagement Photoshoot Guide: What to Wear, Where to Go & How to Pose

Maleny, Sunshine Coast.

So your partner finally did it, he/she posed the question and without hesitation, perhaps more relief, you shouted “YES!”

Can I first say congratulations! In a world where marriage rates are on the decline, you have chosen commitment, strength, and greater purpose. I imagine the rest of that day was spent smiling from ear to ear as family and friends celebrated alongside you.

BUT, what now? A Photoshoot of course!

In this Blog I want to help you get the most out of your Sunshine Coast engagement photoshoot! I will do this by answering some of your slight or major concerns such as:

1. What should I wear to my engagement photoshoot?

2. Where is a good photoshoot location?

3. What time should we plan our photoshoot for?

4. How to pose in front of the camera?

Let’s jump straight into answering your big questions!

1. What should I wear to my engagement photoshoot?

Yes we could look into the colour palettes and colour science behind the ideal pieces of clothing to wear, which, don’t get me wrong is important, but I don’t want you to start there. Think about it, when do you usually find yourself having your photos taken? When you are going out and have put in effort, or perhaps even effortlessly thrown together an outfit, IN WHICH YOU FELT COMFORTABLE. Comfortable In the sense that your mind has found contentment. This will inevitably bring confidence and that will show.

That is why STEP 1 is to: Pick an outfit YOU are happy with.

Ultimately, that will look different for everyone, because everyone is different.

With that being said, there are guiding principles that will assist in the final aesthetics of your photos.

When it comes to colour and style. A rule of thumb - Keep it Simple! Smart casual is the right idea. I can recommend soft colour combinations such as cream and dusty blue. However, I’m not against a bold statement such as a fluffy dark dress. Avoid distractions from your romance; A T-shirt with a huge Tommy Hilfiger logo embroidered… maybe leave that one in the closet. Let me give you an example with some photos I have taken:

Note the minimal distractions.

2. Where is a good photoshoot location?

I will be speaking generally, but I will include some ideas for Sunshine Coast engagement photos.

As a photographer myself, I am often searching for greens. This means we usually end up in a grass field, in a forest, near a botanical garden if you are in the city etc. That, or simply at the beach for a minimalist result. Many photographers will give prompts which usually require some space to move around. Factor that into your decision making.

For engagement photos around the Sunshine Coast, my preferences are:

1. Maleny, Hinterland - for spectacular backdrop of the glass house mountains

2. Coolum beach - for a secluded private beach look

3. Noosa - for a variety of creative choices either among the quality architecturally designed buildings on main street, or further up along the headland path

4. Glass house mountains - for the adventure couples, you can find yourself among the pine trees or in an open field, or if you are up for it, on Mount Ngungun (please do your proper research as this includes the risk of injury or worse.) you are almost always guaranteed a magnificent sunrise/ sunset throughout the entire year.

3. What time should we plan for our photo shoot?

A photo session should really be more like a narrative where the climax is the golden hour. Allow for some time to ‘warm up’ to getting your photos taken, that way in 30 minutes time during the golden hour, you will be an all time natural! This is also key if you wish to change location or outfit during the duration of the session. Please don’t leave after the sun goes down as this is when blue hour occurs creating some of the most beautiful, soft, and moody lighting conditions for your photos

Sunrises make a lot of sense when you live on the east coast and you want a beach photo session. So if you are an early bird and you can convince your fiancé, this is a really great option!

Although its best not to rush the process, keep in mind you generally shouldn’t need excessive time (more than 2-3 hours) for your photos to be taken.

4. How to pose in front of the camera?

Last but not least, and perhaps one of the biggest concerns is this - I don’t know how to pose for my couple photos!

Rest easy, you are in the same boat as all of us, in fact the photographer would most likely feel the same if the situation was reversed. Yet, you often see breathtaking results of friends and family when they have done the same. This is evidence to the fact that, you will do significantly better than you think you will!

1. Focus on your partner and/ or the prompts given, Not the camera. Easier said than done I know, but the irony is, the more you think about how you look, the less natural you will look.

2. Get to know your photographer. Having confidence in your photographer will coincide with your own confidence.

3. Practise before hand. Consider looking at different engagement photoshoots on Pinterest or Instagram and see what type of photos you love. I recommend discussing this with the photographer beforehand as well! They will surely help you.

4. Enjoy it. Laugh at the muck ups, rejoice in the successes, soak in the moment as it comes

Ultimately, how you feel is what shows. Additionally It the role of the photographer to help you feel comfortable.

There you have it, My two-cent on having your engagement photos taken upon at the Sunshine Coast. This opportunity is priceless and will help significantly when it comes to feeling ready for your wedding photos as well!

I invite you to have a flick through my website for more inspiration and ideas via the link below!

Thank you